Active Vehicle Skirt Panel and the Method of Controlling the Same

Abstract

An active vehicle ground effect system having at least one guiding piece coupled to an undercarriage of a vehicle, where the at least one guiding piece has a configuration to guide an airflow between the undercarriage of the vehicle and a ground while the vehicle is moving. The active vehicle ground effect system has an actuator coupled to the at least one guiding piece. The system has a controller configured to activate the at least one guiding piece from a first position to a second position when an activating condition is met. When a deactivating condition is met, the controller deactivates the at least one guiding piece by moving the at least one guiding piece from the second position to the first position.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]The field of the disclosure is vehicle aerodynamics in general and active vehicle skirt panel specifically.BACKGROUND[0002]Aerodynamics can play an important role in a ground vehicle's dynamic behavior at speed. Positive aerodynamic lift is generally undesirable because the corresponding reduction in traction to the tire(s) can be reduced below the levels required for safe cornering, braking, or acceleration. To counteract such tendencies, a number of aerodynamic elements such as spoilers or wings are known to create negative lift, or downforce, to increase the vehicle's limit of adhesion.[0003]However, in many applications, spoilers or wings placed above the vehicle to create downforce have a notable drag penalty expressed as a lift-to-drag (L / D) ratio. This means with increasing downforce from the addition of or increasing angle-of-attack (AoA) of a wing, there is a corresponding increase in power required to maintain speed or acceleration rate as well...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is an active vehicle ground effect system that improves tire traction, handling, and cornering of a vehicle by using a suction effect to guide undercarriage airflow between the bottom of the vehicle and the ground. This system includes a method to increase downforce, which pulls the vehicle to the ground and increases tire traction. The system uses moving and / or non-moving parts located on the underside of the vehicle to create a Venturi effect as airflow passes through. The system includes side skirts and a single-body panel that combine the effect of side skirts and an underbody panel to create the Venturi effect and constrict both the height and width of the airflow. The technical effects of this invention include improved tire traction, handling, and cornering of a vehicle, discreetly and without the need for a traditional ground effect system that is visible when the vehicle is not in motion.

Problems solved by technology

Positive aerodynamic lift is generally undesirable because the corresponding reduction in traction to the tire(s) can be reduced below the levels required for safe cornering, braking, or acceleration.

However, in many applications, spoilers or wings placed above the vehicle to create downforce have a notable drag penalty expressed as a lift-to-drag (L / D) ratio.

This means with increasing downforce from the addition of or increasing angle-of-attack (AoA) of a wing, there is a corresponding increase in power required to maintain speed or acceleration rate as well as increase in fuel consumption.

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